Karachi residents stage protest amid water and electricity outage
Oct 26, 2024
Karachi [Balochistan], October 26 : People in Karachi have reportedly staged a protest by blocking Jahangir Road due to ongoing water and electricity outage today, as per a report by The Express Tribune.
According to The Express Tribune, the residents of Karachi have been suffering from severe and unusual load-shedding for the past week. This resulted in power outages during the daytime.
Due to the protest, the traffic police had closed both lanes of Jahangir Road. To manage the traffic, the police provided an alternative route via PIB Colony to commuters who were travelling from Teen Hatti.
As reported by The Express Tribune, the factions of the Battagram Trade Union have also announced a complete shutter-down strike and sit-in starting Tuesday in response to the massive power outage in the Karachi district of Pakistan. The union will till then hold back electricity bill payments.
Small businesses like tailors and welders are affected due to the outrage, creating a virtual halt in commercial activities. This has frustrated both residents and business firms in the same manner as they rely on electricity for their daily purposes.
According to the Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) department, "The power cuts took place after an order taken by the High Court related to an alleged incident involving the assault of a female prisoner at the Battagram sub-jail."
On the other hand, the trade union has dismissed the reason behind the power outrage and called it "ridiculous". The union argued that power outrage in the daytime was only because of ensuring uninterrupted electricity at night for the continuous working of CCTV cameras in the sub-jail.
The union further argued that the power cut decision was an 'economic murder' of local traders as they were unable to do their business for over a week. Due to this, the union is calling for immediate action to restore the power supply in the area as they want to protect the economic interests of both the residents and business operators residing in the area.
